title: Early-onset neonatal pneumococcal sepsis in siblings.
abstract: The case of a woman who in two successive pregnancies produced premature infants affected by early-onset Streptococcus pneumoniae type 8 sepsis is described. Low maternal levels of pneumococcal IgG antibodies were demonstrated after the second delivery, and vaccination with 'Pneumovax' produced a rise in antibody levels. Attention is drawn to the similarity between early-onset pneumococcal neonatal sepsis and group B streptococcal sepsis. Mothers of infants affected by early-onset pneumococcal sepsis who have low pneumococcal antibody levels run the risk of subsequent babies being similarly affected and vaccination should be considered to prevent recurrence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary's University Hospital, Roehampton, London, U.K.
authors.forename: E D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Lortan
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Perinpanayagam
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005322:Premature Rupture of Fetal Membranes / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D012703:Serotyping; D013045:Species Specificity; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines